September 9, 2009

Print this postDenunciation by the Group of Lawyers for the rights of Migrants and Refugees

On 8 September 2009 members of the Group of Lawyers for the rights of Migrants and Refugees visited the police station of Agios Panteleimonas in order to contact with their client, an Afghan detainee who was a victim of armed robbery in the Attica Square. We denounce the unjustifiable deficiency of police authorities responsible for the preliminary investigation in verifying the identity of the perpetrators. We denounce the fact that the papers in the case were sent particularly incomplete to the Public Prosecutor without even recording a sworn statement by the victim.
We denounce the detention of the injured victim under conditions that are dangerous for his health. We denounce the detention of the only eye witness who is an unaccompanied minor refugee and the intimidation of his advocates – members of the Group of Lawyers – by citizens who wander easily in the building of the Police Station.

It is unacceptable some select “indignant citizens” to have access to the facts of the papers in the case during the preliminary investigation phase and to wander with inside the police station watching provocatively the advocates’ actions.

We denounce the attempts of intimidation targeting lawyers by “indignant citizens” that took place while police authorities were present and on the basis of their tolerance.

We express our deepest concern about this increase of racist attacks targeting migrants and threatening their lives committed by groups that take the law into their hands and act uncontrollably around the district of Agios Panteleimonas unhindered by the police authorities.